Sermon Tone Analysis

Alêtheia Christian Fellowship ~~ Sermon #80, 7-24-05

 

*James the Just, *to distinguish him from James the Great, son of Zebedee.

á÷eÖé!

Ya ăqôb, Jacob, Ija>kwbov, James

Born about 1

Saw Jesus about 28

Saul's attack about 34 Acts 8

Leader of Christian community by 35, Old Camel Knees.

Agrippa (Grandson of Herod) under Claudius 44 James the Great by sword Acts 12

Written 45 possibly oldest book of New Testament

Ist council 49 Acts 15

Death 62 Annas the Younger between Festus and Albinus

66 church moved to Pella under Simon his brother

 

Eastern (Chiastic order and circular) even though excellent Greek,

Jewish even though many Western concepts,

Doesn't quote Jesus though most like Jesus' own words.

1James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.

2Consider it all *joy*, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces *endurance*.

4And let endurance have /its/ perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

*The entire Christian life is a process of recognizing our deficiencies, and seeking His grace to supply our needs.*

/To resist and detest adversity is to resist the sanctifying and perfecting work of God in our lives//.

To rejoice is to embrace His perfecting work in us./

What is Joy?

All Joy, Joy not mixed with anything else.

TLB: be happy.

NLT: joy.

GWT: very happy.

NRSV: nothing but joy.

Others: all joy.

Pa~~san cara<n, All ca>ra, nothing but Joy - an eschatological joy.

Joy is perspective, not really choice and certainly not emotion, it is how you actually perceive things internally.

Our perspective is very much about how much we believe God cares, how competent we think He is and whether or not we believe He's in control.

More than that,

How do you get Joy?

True Joy only comes from God as I said, and this is important, He is only able to give it to people and it is given through a process.

*John 15:10-11* ~~ If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father=s commands and remain in his love.

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

*Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5, Agapê, then Joy*.

That process is getting to know Him.

It is not in events that our joy can be complete because we become like the wicked and perverse generation of Jews always looking for another sign.

It is in remaining in Christ by obedience to His Word.

It is that experience of relationship where faith is strengthened to the point where we can have the confidence that gives joy in any situation.

Then we are not tossed by every wave, we are no longer double-minded, but rather have a singular purpose.

It is then that we no longer need hoopla, emotional outbursts, miraculous powers and the like.

(We don't experience miracles today like then because we seek them for all the wrong reasons.)

With relationship we have security and we don't need continual reassurance as I alluded to earlier.

*Romans 15:13* May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

A relationship with God is based on the Love Wheel, boiled down to just two things: Love & Obedience.

*Luke 10:21* ~~ At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, AI praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

Endurance TLB, KJV, NCV: patience, The rest: endurance.

uJpomonh>,

 

*What is it?*

--Patience in the Old Testament is from the Hebrew word Aaw-rake,@ and means waiting as a determination of the will, not from necessity.

I choose to wait for something or especially someone even though there is no reason to do so except it is for love and with God for respect~/trust.

Often associated with wisdom and humility.

--The New Testament uses three Greek words, first: uJpomonh>, meaning, I persistently remain or abide.

Usually translated as endurance.

Second: ajnexikaki>a, up, away from badness translated as tolerant and Third: makra>qumia, meaning, long - anger.

Often translated as long suffering it is the ability to hold ones anger.

\\ --Let=s see here, we=re talking about waiting on someone which implies that they=re not moving as fast as we can or at least not as fast as we think we can.

Next we have endurance which means, of course, there is something for us to endure.

Guess what you don=t endure things that are pleasant.

Next we have the idea of tolerating something or someone which implies there is something that requires tolerating.

Finally, holding our anger means something is going on that is ticking us off.

Remember to be long suffering one has to be long bothered.

--*The definition of Patience is the ability to die to self* because impatience is being annoyed that things are not going our way.

*Impatience is the absolute embodiment of selfishness*; it is the proof of sin just as patience is the proof of peace.

--Story of Drunk and disheveled woman on my airplane.

--We don=t know what another person is going through so as the guy said, AThe best way to avoid stepping on someone else=s toes is to stand in their shoes.@

*How do we Get it?*

Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5, Peace then Patience.

--We can=t always understand why we must wait, but maybe it=s so we don=t miss a critical step in the process.

--It seems the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has a unique device for testing the strength of windshields on airplanes.

The device is a gun that launches a dead chicken at a plane's windshield at approximately the speed the plane flies.

The theory is that if the windshield doesn't crack from the carcass impact, it'll survive a real collision with a bird during flight.

It seems the British were very interested in this and wanted to test a windshield on a brand new, speedy locomotive they're developing.

They borrowed the FAA's chicken launcher, loaded the chicken and fired.

The ballistic chicken shattered the windshield, went through the engineer's chair, broke an instrument panel and embedded itself in the back wall of the engine cab.

The British were stunned and asked the FAA to recheck the test to see if everything was done correctly.

The FAA reviewed the test thoroughly and had one recommendation: "Use a thawed chicken."

--We must be patient with each other, it is the Lord=s command.

*Patience is the ultimate expression of love, it**=**s the proof*.

Impatience on the other hand is disdain saying in effect you are so stupid I cannot put up with you.

*Romans 15:5-7* ~~ May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

 

--The truest test of moral courage is the ability to ignore the insult.

That=s an even harder area of patience with others.

To really do it right you have to *let the person insulting you think* you are too stupid to understand that you=ve been insulted and then keep the secret!

Robert Frost said, AThree little words sum up all that I have learned about life, >It goes on.=@

I must get over myself because that=s the whole point God is trying to teach me.

If I can live for others, God first among them, I am like God.

No one is as blessed as God and this is what He wants for me as His little child, to be blessed as He is blessed because of selflessness.

--Patience with one another is more than a request.

*James 5:8-9* ~~ You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord=s coming is near.

Don=t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged.

The Judge is standing at the door!

 

*James 1:5-8* ~~ But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.